No Boundaries
by peraspera
Summary: "I long for what I know must feel like heaven." He replied, cutting her off. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her into him, looking down at the brunette, who was in absolute shock. "Even if it's just a taste." With those words, he pressed his lips to hers." Ahkmenrah/OC
1. Chapter 1

_"I told you. You don't love someone because of their looks or their clothes or their car. You love them because they sing a song only your heart can understand." ― L.J Smith_

* * *

"We've got more slaves for work, sir."

A dignified looking soldier stood before a shorter one, who looked a bit unsure of himself to say the least. The elder soldier looked behind the soldier, who stepped aside the moment the commander peered behind him to look at the women. There were about six of them that covered behind a woman who had her arms crossed, despite the shackles that were on her wrists. Chocolate brown hair fell straight to hair waist, and pools of velvety dark brown peered up at the man through long, dark lashes, brows drawn downward to show her anger. For being in the position that she was in, she surely didn't show any fear. All he saw was anger and determination.

"Send them to the river. They can look for gold with the other women." He replied, waving a hand dismissively. The woman were beginning to be hearded away before a voice stopped them.

"Wait!"

The women all paused, the one with dark brown hair spinning around to face the one who'd called out to stop them. A tanned man with blue eyes and dark hair walked towards the commander. "You can't send them there. They're women. They'll get overworked and die. At least let them tend to the gardens. The work is less harsh and will be more suited to their skills."

The commander gazed at the group for a moment, shrugging his shoulders and releasing a sigh. "As you command, sir." He turned to the two soldiers. "Get these ladies to the gardens at this instant!"

"Wait." The new male pointed to the fearless looking one. "We have a shortage on servants, and she looks as if she's a bit tougher than the rest, don't you think?"

The commander nodded his head. "I believe you're right, Ahkmenrah. If you wish, I can escort her up to your home immediately."

"That won't be needed, Bomani. I'll simply escort her there myself. I'm heading home anyway. You may continue your work down here." Ahkmenrah replied dismissively, sending a smile towards the commander before he turned towards the woman, who was glaring at him, but otherwise looked emotionless. "You may come with me now."

She didn't reply, she only followed him up to his home, her arms crossed tight over her chest still, brows drawn downward still. Ahkmenrah looked over at her, wondering where exactly she came from. He heard the soldiers discussing how they had found her and her women simply by the Nile, right up the river. The dark haired one he was currently escorting had been playing in the water, which seemed like a far stretch from how she was acting right now. It was hard to imagine this stony woman playing in a river, laughing and splashing around playfully as if she were a child.

"My name's Ahkmenrah," He introduced, a pleasant smile on his face as he walked beside the woman. Sure, she was to be a servant, but it didn't mean that he couldn't converse with her. "And yours?"

No reply. She remained stony and unmoving, almost like the pyramids that currently surrounded the both of them. Beautiful on the outside, but unmovable and hardened.

"We'll be arriving at my home soon. I'm not sure where you're from since my father's soldiers didn't inform me of it, but it's lovely, really. My father's the Pharaoh." Ahkmenrah explained animatedly. Anything to get this girl to talk to him. Being a friendly man by nature, he was put off when people didn't automatically fall for his charms. He was usually able to get people to talk by flashing a smile and saying a few words to get them comfortable, but this girl was different. He was the sea and she was the cliff, and she would break him before he could break her.

Ahkmenrah wasn't surprised when she refused to answer him, but that didn't mean that he wasn't put off by her attitude. Just who was she? Most servants that came to serve either completely and utterly worshipped him and his father, or they cowered in fear. None reacted the way this girl did. She was unique, and she piqued Ahkmenrah's interest more than he would ever admit.

They came to his father's throne room, and he looked on at her, a bit surprised to see his son escorting a woman in shackles. "Ahkmenrah, my son, what brings you here with this woman?"

"She's going to be another one of the female servants. I knew that we had a shortage on them, and she seems tough enough to withstand the duties she'll be given every day." Ahkmenrah explained.

His father merely nodded. "She's young." He replied, looking at the woman instead of his son, who looked back on at him, unwavering. "What's your name?"

No reply.

"The Pharaoh of Egypt commands that you tell him your name. Refusing to do this will result in death, do you hear me?" The man commanded, growing impatient with this woman. While his son liked to play games and enjoyed challenges, he wasn't one to do so. He was the Pharaoh, and as such, he had to be authoratative and take charge. This one girl wasn't going to be an exception to that rule.

In moments, his son stepped in front of the woman, his face close to hers. His son's body blocked his view, so he couldn't hear or see a thing. Suddenly, his son stepped to the side and the woman stared on at the Pharaoh, still looking as determined as ever. Her lips parted and she spoke, "My name is Cena."

* * *

Cena's P.O.V

I was beyond pissed off. My women were lost, and now I was forced to associate with the damn Pharaoh. He was lucky that I wasn't feeling too violent at the moment, because if I was, I would have ripped his throat out myself.

"What's your name?"

I snorted internally. As if I'd tell him my name. His soldiers kidnap me and plan to make me a servant, and now he wants to know my name? I'd rather die than give him that.

He scowled, and I could sense his impatience from across the room. "The Pharaoh of Egypt commands that you tell him your name. Refusing to do this will result in death, do you hear me?"

Suddenly, Ahkmunrah was in front of me, his face only centimeters from mine. He was lucky I didn't slap him, and I was just about to when he spoke up. "Don't anger him. He won't hesitate to kill you. You'll become my servant, and you'll follow me around all day. I only asked this of you because I knew that you'd be strong enough to withstand it, if I did have to go into battle while outside of these walls. I could see it in your eyes. Now, just tell Amenhotep your name, please. I'll take these shackles off as soon as you do."

I paused, weighing out the options in my head. Refuse to give him my name and die, or give him my name and follow around this guy for the rest of my life? Well, hopefully I'd die during battle or something. I nodded and Ahkmenrah moved, allowing me to face the Pharaoh once more.

"My name is Cena."

The moment I spoke those words, Ahkmenrah undid my shackles, allowing them to clatter to the floor. I rubbed my sore wrists, resisting the urge to curse. Jeez, I felt bad for whoever had to wear those all day.

"Finally, the woman speaks." Out stepped a man that looked similar to both the Pharaoh and Ahkmenrah, but this time, Ahkmenrah didn't look so pleased to see a relative of his. His look grew cold the instant his eyes met the older man's. "No need to look so angry, little brother. I'm merely studying your new... Toy."

I opened my mouth, ready to tell him off, but Ahkmenrah surprisingly beat me to it. "She's no toy. She's to be my personal servant."

The other man raised his eyebrows. He clearly seemed to be enjoying this. He peered at me from over Ahkmenrah's shoulder, seeing as I was standing behind him. "No need to be so hostile, little brother. I was simply going to ask if you were going to make use of this new lovely female. Because if you don't, well..." His brows raised suggestively. "I most certainly will."

"You won't. She isn't your property, and she isn't a toy used to your amusement and pleasure." Ahkmenrah snapped. My eyes probably couldn't have gone any wider than they were at that moment. Ahkmenrah bowed towards his father before leaving the room, motioning for me to follow him. Well, I wasn't about to stay in a room with those people. I scrambled after Ahkmenrah, catching up to him easily and walking beside him.

"What was that all about?" I questioned, unfolding my arms as I walked.

Ahkmenrah released a sigh. "That was my older brother, Kahmunrah. A few months ago, my father announced that he was ill. In a month or so, he will most likely die. Around the time that he announced he was ill, he told us that I would be next in line for the throne, not Kahmunrah. My father doesn't trust Kahmunrah enough, and so he entrusted it to me."

"And so Kahmunrah's mad because you got what he technically was supposed to get as a birth right, but not can't get because he's basically crazy." I finished.

Ahkmunrah laughed. "If you want to put it that way, yes, I suppose that's essentially why he acts like this. I suppose I just get fed up with it. If he only knew how he truly was..."

"You can't just change some people." I replied, carelessly shrugging my shoulders.

"You say that as if you have experience with people like my brother." Ahkemnrah continued, turning down a hallway, watching as I followed after him.

I sent him a smirk, which caused shock to appear in his eyes. It was short lived, because he regained his composure quickly. "Let's just say that I'm not what I appear to be." He assumed that because I was now a servant, I would be meek and wouldn't give him attitude.

He had another thing coming.

* * *

_"It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves." ― William Shakespeare_


	2. Chapter 2

_"There are winds of destiny that blow when we least expect them. Sometimes they gust with the fury of a hurricane, sometimes they barely fan one's cheek. But the winds cannot be denied, bringing as they often do a future that is impossible to ignore." ― Nicholas Sparks_

* * *

Within the first few days of being in the Pharaoh's palace, I learned many things about their lifestyle. Although I certainly wasn't fully accustomed to it, and I definitely didn't like them, not in the least bit. Sure, Ahkmenrah wasn't being cruel to me right now, but I couldn't trust him as far as I could throw him. He was still the Pharaoh's son, and by association, I couldn't trust him.

But that also meant that I didn't trust Kahmunrah even more. Something about that man just threw me off. He was always giving me the strangest looks, as if he wanted to murder me on the spot. I mean, I couldn't exactly blame him for all of that, seeing as I constantly snapped at him, correcting him and telling him why he was wrong. Apparently, the fact that I was a servant of his younger brother and a woman who was telling him off ticked him off beyond description, so I was doing my job right so far.

I was currently in Ahkmenrah's room, making his bed for him. It was one of my many morning jobs, which consisted of laying out an outfit for him, drawing him a bath, and escorting him down to breakfast. These jobs weren't assigned to me by him. Rather, they were assigned to me by his father. The look in his eyes told me that he felt bad that I had to clean up after him, but I still didn't trust the man. I couldn't.

He emerged from his bathroom, dressed and looking ready to go. I turned away from his bed after I smoothed out the sheets. They'd given me new clothing, which was customary servant clothing, but a bit nicer seeing as I was Ahkmenrah's personal servant. A white skirt made of silk went to my knees, and a top made of the same material matched it perfectly, cropping to reveal my middrif. I would have complained about it, but it was hot and I was thankful for the breeze I felt.

However, I definitely wasn't thankful for Ahkmenrah's wandering eyes. He tried to be tasteful about it. He didn't do it when I was looking. Rather, he did it when he thought that I didn't notice, but I did notice, and it pissed me off more than I can describe to you.

"Ready to go?" I questioned, hands on my hips. I still hadn't lost the attitude that I had on my first day here, and Ahkmenrah would constantly comment about it. He never lost his temper with me, though. He'd actually just smile and shake his head, as if he was amused about my actions. The nerve of some people.

Ahkmenrah nodded his head, walking towards the door without a word. I followed soon after, closing the door behind us. The walk was silent, seeing as I wasn't going to initiate a conversation, and apparently Ahkmenrah wasn't in the mood to. That was strange. He was usually the one chattering on endlessly, trying to get me to talk to him. I'd throw in the occasional sarcastic comment every now and then, but for the most part I remained relatively silent.

Breakfast was uneventful, and soon Ahkmenrah and I were walking around the town, looking around and checking to make sure that all of the people were happy and as safe as they could get. It pissed me off more than I could describe. Here I was, making sure that these people were happy, while I was being forced to work for the damn Pharaoh. But who ever said that life was fair?

Soon into our walk, I felt a prickling feeling on the back of my neck. I tensed up. It was as if someone was watching me, or maybe even following me. I glanced at Ahkmenrah. Okay, correction. Maybe someone was following us. I walked closer to Ahkmenrah, standing behind him. For what reason, well, I can't even tell you that. Maybe it was a moral obligation to make sure that this innocent little kid in a young man's body would stay safe.

As soon as I heard commotion from the crowd, I was alert. Ahkemnrah wasn't fast enough. I saw someone approaching out of the corner of my eye, and saw a flash of something shiny. A sword. Someone was trying to assassinate Ahkmenrah. I stood in front of him immediately, hand shooting out to slap the sword away, attempting to disarm the man. Unfortunately, that only succeeded in me getting a nice sized cut on my thig. Well, there goes the new outfit. I cursed, delivering a punch to the man's face and then a swift kick to his stomach, yanking his sword out of his arm as I did so. He fell to the ground and I pointed his sword at his neck, scowling down at him.

The crowd was silent, and I could almost feel Ahkmenrah's gaze burning holes into my back. I didn't care at the moment. A few more soldiers came over and carried the man away, most likely taking him into the prison rooms until he could be questioned by the Pharaoh for his crime. I finally relaxed, letting the sword clatter to the ground. Jeez, I felt kinda dizzy.

Ahkmenrah was suddenly in front of me, his blue eyes wide. "You saved my life just now."

I shrugged my shoulders, watching as little black dots obsurced my vision. I could barely see his face now. "Yeah, don't mention it. Someone had to."

I stumbled, and he automatically reached out, picking me up easily in his arms. If I wasn't about to pass out, I would have refused, but when I was losing blood like this, his arms seemed pretty damn comfortable to me. Ahkmenrah carried me back to the palace, silent for most of the journey, until he suddenly spoke up. "Why?"

I shrugged my shoulders carelessly, my eyelids getting heavier with each passing moment. "I don't even know, to be honest. I just did. It was an instinct."

I was handed off to the healers, and that was the last night I remembered before everything went black.

* * *

Ahkmenrah stood in his room, looking out the window. He didn't have his servant with him at the moment, seeing as she was currently being healed, but that was fine by him. She could take all of the time that she needed to recover. To be completely honest with himself, he didn't want her to be forced to stay in the palace. He would have rather her been a guest, but what with the current war raging with Nubia, they were beginning to become short handed at the palace. His father also thought that it was time that he got a servant of his own.

When he saw Cena, to be honest, she took his breath away. Prominent cheekbones, long lashes, dark brown eyes and hair to match that reached her waist, she was a breath taking beauty for sure. Pair that with her fiery attitude, and no man in Egypt could resist her. Maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration, but Ahkmenrah was sure that her beauty could neither be surpassed nor be matched.

He had been sure she hated him. Ever since the first day he met her, her eyes held nothing but resentment towards him. Some days, he saw little flickers of other things there, things that he couldn't completely decipher, but things than were much softer and more pleasant than the hatred. It suited her chocolate brown orbs better, but as soon as it was there it was gone.

Cena was a woman who frustrated him to no end. She showed such kindness with him at times, playfully teasing him one moment, and then the next moment she was cold as ice towards him, a scowl replacing the impish smirk that had been on her face only moments earlier. That smile that she had, that she rarely ever showed, he liked that the best about her. It was the only time he ever saw her walls break down. It made her eyes stand out more when she smiled, a small twinkle appearing in her eyes.

Today, she'd saved his life. She had purposefully stepped in front of an armed man, stopped him, but had hurt herself in the process. The healers had assured him that Cena would be fine in a few days time, but it wasn't just the fact that she was hurt. She had risked her own life for him, a person that she showed so much resentment towards. He couldn't understand her. Why would she do that? Why, when she hated him so much?

For once, Ahkmenrah was completely and totally bewildered, having no idea where to go from here.

* * *

_"I knew I loved you before I met you, I think I dreamed you into life. I knew I loved you before I met you, I have been waiting all my life." ― Savage Garden_


	3. Chapter 3

_"All the world's a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed." ― Seán O'Casey_

* * *

"Father, I need to speak to you about Ahkmenrah."

Amenhotep nodded at his son, signaling for him to continue on with whatever he had to say. Said son glanced at the servants around the room, looking as if they were busy, though they were clearly eavesdropping on the Pharaoh and his son. Kahmunrah rolled his eyes, turning back to his father.

"It's not so much about Ahkmenrah, actually, father." Kahmunrah explained, trying to get his words across in the right way. If he didn't, his father wouldn't take his side, and that would be detrimental to his plan. "It's about how he acts towards that servant girl of his, Cena."

His father was silent, so he took this as a sign to continue. "He dotes on her as if she's... As if she's his wife. He's always around her, and ever since she got that cut on her from that assassin, he hasn't left his room. Well, he has, but not to do anything productive. All he does is checks up on her and makes sure that she's comfortable and alright, as if she's on our level, father. He acts as if she isn't what she is; a mere servant. I feel as if we allow this to go on, Ahkmenrah will do something he regrets."

Amenhotep waved a hand dismissively. "Nonsense, Kahmunrah. Your brother has always been a very caring young man, so it's natural that he's trying to give thanks to the servant girl who saved his life. Now that's all I'm going to hear on the topic." He gave his son a stern look when he opened his mouth to speak again, making Kahmunrah close his mouth, looking far from pleased. "Now please go attend to your duties."

"Yes, father." Kahmunrah grumbled, turning and leaving with a swish of his robes. Well, that definitely hadn't gone as he planned. He wanted that damned girl out of here for good. Not only was she ruining his plans, she was far too mouthy, and not in a good way.

Meanwhile, Amenhotep listened to the problems of the townspeople as they filtered into his throne room. He offered advice when it was needed, solving the problems with the ease of a Pharaoh who knew exactly what he was doing.

However, his mind was on something else. Amenhotep knew very well that his son's behavior towards Cena wasn't at all customary. He knew that the other servants whispered about the two of them, how he allowed her to do things other servants couldn't and would be punished for, and how he doted on her while she was hurt. Yes, she had saved his life, but she was a mere servant girl, easily replaceable.

Amenhotep heaved a sigh. It looked like he was going to have to be the one to take care of this matter after all.

* * *

"I still don't think that you should be walking around. You've only been resting for a little over a week, Cena, and I don't think that's enough time to recover from a wound that deep."

Currently Ahkmenrah was walking beside Cena, going on and on about how she should lay down and rest up a bit more. She would never admit it, but she was a bit flustered that he was so worried about her. She felt a flutter in her stomach, making her furrow her brow. What the hell was that? She shook it off. Paying attention to it would only cause problems for her in the long run. Sure, she wasn't a stupid girl, and she figured what it meant, but she couldn't do that. She ignored it, willing the feeling to go away.

"You could get an infection if it opens up again." Ahkemnrah continued as he walked beside her. They were heading to do some paperwork for his father, well, Ahkmenrah was doing the paperwork, but she was there to fetch things for him if he needed it. For the most part, when this happened, she would simply sit down and talk to him. She knew that he really just wanted company, but she wouldn't voice that. "And then you'll be bed ridden for even longer than that, or even worse, you could lose your entire leg to an infection like that-"

"Ahkmenrah." The dark haired beauty interrupted his rant, making him blink at her in surprise as they walked. Cena suddenly realized what a unique eye color he had. It was a blue-green color, though closer to green at the moment, in a light shade that almost looked translucent in the sunlight. It constracted greatly with his tanned skin and dark brows and hair, giving him quite the striking appearance. She could tell that he was very handsome, hell, anyone with properly funcitioning eyes could tell that. But it was her denial that kept her from recogonizing and voicing that opinion.

Though Cena didn't know it, Ahkmenrah was thinking something similar about her. Her eyes were a dark, deep chocoloate brown, one that almost matched her pupils. It was a sight to see. It made her look fierce and strong, though maybe that was the fire that was constantly in her eyes. Her hair was naturally pin straight, falling to her waist, reflecting off of whatever light that was in the room. She usually talked animatedly, using her hands, which was when he saw the real passion in those eyes of hers. But he couldn't forget how lovely she looked whenever she got embarrassed or frustrated and color filled her cheeks.

Of course, because the Pharaoh's son was so entranced in the female before him, he slammed right into a wall. He backed off, holding his head and wincing. "Ow." He grumbled, rubbing his head.

"Are you alright?" Cena questioned, trying to keep a straight face. Ahkmenrah saw a smile teasing her petal pink lips, and soon the corners of her lips turned upwards. She covered her mouth with her hands, the corners of her eyes crinkling a bit, showing that she was trying her hardest not to laugh.

Ahkmenrah grinned, trying to sound menacing, though it didn't really work with a man who looked almost like a puppy. "Are you laughing at me, Cena?"

"No." She replied automatically, trying her hardest not to laugh.

Ahkmenrah advanced on her slowly, making her back up just as slow, taking a step back into the study each time he took a step forward. "I think that you're laughing at my pain, Cena. That's not very ladylike."

She lowered her hands from her face, a grin on her features. It was playful, something he seldom saw. "Yeah, well I'm not very ladylike, Ahkmenrah."

"So you admit to it?" He gave her an impish grin, still advancing on her.

The brunette shook her head, laughing a little bit. "No, I never admitted to anything! Don't put words into my mouth."

"You just laughed!" Ahkmenrah pointed out, still grinning. "You must be punished for your crimes." Suddenly he lunged forward but Cena danced out of the way at the last second, running behind him while laughing. Ahkmenrah turned around to face her, laughing as well. "You're not getting away that easily." He dove for her again, but this time he was prepared and he caught her around her waist, pulling her back into him and attacking her sides with his fingers. She began laughing hysterically, tears in the corners of her eyes from laughing so hard.

"A-Ahkmenrah, s-stop!" She was able to say between laughs.

Ahkmenrah grinned, still tickling her. "I'm sorry, did you say something, Cena? I can't hear those who break the law by laughing at my pain."

"I-I'm sorry for laughing at you!" She exclaimed, though she was still laughing from Ahkmenrah attacking her sides with his fingers.

"I don't think that you're truly sorry for what you have done." Ahkemnrah replied, shaking his head and tutting at the female, though he was still grinning impishly. "I mean, you're still laughing, so you can't be that sorry, now can you?"

"I-I am!" She shouted through laughs, nearly doubling over. "I-I'm sorry f-for laughing at y-you, Ahkmenrah!"

"Sorry, what was that?" Ahkmenrah questioned, laughing along with Cena. "I can't hear you over your hysteric laughter."

"Am I interrupting something?"

Ahkmenrah froze, the grin leaving his face, his fingers freezing as well as he looked over at the doorway. Cena stopped laughing, standing up straight and moving out of his grip at once. The both of them looked over at the doorway, where Kahmunrah stood, looking not at all pleased with the display.

Ahkmenrah cleared his throat. "No, of course not. We were just here to get some of father's paperwork done, that's all."

"And I suppose father's paperwork is on your servant's waist?" Kahmunrah demanded, his tone sounding angry and cold, yet strangely docile and calm at the same time.

Ahkmenrah shrugged his shoulders, not knowing how to reply to that one. Cena glared at Kahmunrah. "I have a name, and it's not 'your servant.'"

"I'm very much aware of that. However, you are merely a servant," He looked over at his younger brother. "...and there's no changing that."

His brother's tone chilled Ahkmenrah to the bone. He had no idea how to reply. He knew that his behavior with Cena a moment ago was far from acceptable. If his father had seen it, he knew that he would be livid. As the future Pharaoh of Egypt, he couldn't go around tickling his servants. It was unacceptable behavior.

"And you're merely a brother who will never get the throne." Cena replied in a challenging tone, stepping forward, her dark eyes flashing dangerously.

Kahmunrah glared at her, raising a hand and slapping her across the face so hard that the sound echoed throughout the room. Ahkmunrah's eyes widened as he watched her head snap to the side, her hair covering her cheek. Cena slowly looked back over at the eldest brother, who currently had a triumphant smirk on his features. Her cheek was a bit swollen, a red hand print already there.

"How dare you hit me." She growled, hands curling into fists at her sides. Oh, he was going to get it-

Ahkmenrah set a hand on her shoulder, making her recoil. He shook his head at her and she nodded, crossing her arms and giving Kahmunrah the dirtiest look that she could manage. She wasn't allowed to hit him. Hitting him would surely mean death, and she wasn't prepared to die just yet.

"You won't raise a hand to her." Ahkmunrah spoke up, turning back to his older brother. "You seem to forget that Cena isn't your servant, she's mine, and so you have no right to put a hand on her. I'm sure that father would agree."

"And you, Ahkmunrah," Kahmunrah stepped forward, challenging his younger brother. "Seem to forget that this girl is merely a servant, and not your little plaything. Your behavior was unacceptable, and I'm sure that father would agree."

That silenced the duo and Kahmunrah smirked, turning and walking out of the room, feeling quite triumphant. Now he knew that there was something going on, and if he got enough proof, his father would surely get rid of that damned servant girl who was always causing him trouble.

"Is your cheek alright?" Ahkmunrah asked gently, turning to look at the dark haired female.

Cena turned away, muttering, "I'm fine. Didn't you hear him? That was unacceptable behavior. People have already been whispering enough about you caring about whether or not I was okay after I was cut."

"But you're hurt-"

She turned to face him, that same look of resentment in her eyes once more. "Just leave me alone and treat me as your servant, not your friend." In that instant she was gone, and Ahkmunrah stood there for a few moments.

Cena was more than correct in what she had said. The two of them certainly weren't friends. He'd seen that look in her eyes. Not the look of resentment, no, but the thing that was hidden behind it. What he saw changed everything, and what he saw gave him a feeling of hope but yet a feeling of despair at the same time.

He saw an overwhelming attraction.

* * *

_"Don't grieve. Anything you lose comes round in another form." ― Rumi_


	4. Chapter 4

_"Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love." ― Mother Teresa_

* * *

"Stupid people fighting for stupid reasons and spilling their stupid blood on the stupid for so I have to clean it with this stupid soap." Cena complained as she sat on her knees, scrubbing at the ground furiously to get the now dried blood off of it. A fight broke out between two soldiers, though no one knew what it was about, and it resulted in someone's nose getting broken and blood getting onto the floor. Cena wasn't called to clean it up until after it had dried, which made the task of getting it off of the expensive floors even harder.

Normally, the brunette wouldn't have gotten so angered by a simple task like this, but her mind was elsewhere. Ever since their encounter in the study, she and Ahkmenrah had distanced themselves from one another. They didn't want to risk another encounter with Kahmunrah. She couldn't lie to herself and say that the past three months with very little contact with him had been easy. It definitely hadn't. She did her basic duties, which didn't require any talking with him; making his bed, drawing his bath, setting out his clothes, escorting him to meals, and walking with him around the town when he needed to. Sure, there had been times when he asked her to do something for her, but it wasn't anything like their encounter in the study.

Cena couldn't lie to herself. She missed that. She missed his laughter, his dimples when he smiled, that innocent yet mischevious look in his eyes, and most of all, she missed the feeling of his touch. The most that she got was those meaningful looks that they shared across the room. Once in a while, she would catch him staring at her, or vice versa. Most times, one of them would look away bashfully, continuing to do what they had originally set out to do. But sometimes neither one of them could look away. Sometimes their gazes stayed locked, blue-green meeting dark brown, the passion in both of their eyes impossible to deny. It seemed that distance really did make the heart grow fonder.

She wasn't in love, no, it was too early for something like that. But she knew that she was falling for Ahkmenrah, falling so fast that it scared her. She wasn't sure how she managed to allow herself to do that. She was supposed to completely and utterly despise each and every solitary one of them, but somehow Ahkmenrah had managed to get past the walls that she had built up. Maybe it was that stupid boyish smile of his, or maybe it was the warmth in his eyes.

All she knew was that she was falling, and she didn't necessarily want to get back up.

* * *

If there was one trait that Ahkmenrah was proudest of, it was his passion. Whenever he was passionate about something, it showed clearly in what he did. He got into a certain zone, getting whatever he wanted to get done finished, and doing it to the very best of his abilities and more. His father often commented on this, praising him and telling him that he would be a great Pharaoh. "You have all of the makings of a great Pharaoh," He had told his son. "But it's up to you to utilize them to the best of your abilities."

At the moment, Ahkmenrah was passionate about only one thing. Rather, one person; Cena. He distanced himself from her after that study encounter with Kahmunrah, and she soon followed suit. They only interacted when it was absolutely necessary. Any other time, they didn't speak. He assumed that it would get rid of the feelings that he had for her that were growing more and more each passing day. It had the opposite effect, actually. When he was away from her, he wanted to be near her. He wanted to learn all about her, about where she came from and what her family was like. Most of all, he wanted to know if she felt the same way that he did.

He saw the looks that she would give him. He would have to be an idiot not to notice it. He gave her the same looks, and he was now aware of it. The passion and the overwhelming attraction were obvious.

At this point, he didn't care anymore. He had to have her. He had to know more about her, he yearned to touch her and to hear her voice and see the twinkle in her eyes when she smiled or smirked at him.

Ahkmenrah found her in his room, setting up the pillows on his bed. When the door closed behind him her head snapped up, her eyes widening in surprise as he approached her. "Did you need something?" She questioned, raising a single brow at him. When he didn't respond and continued advancing on her, she frowned. "Ahkmenrah, what are you-"

"I long for what I know must feel like heaven." He replied, cutting her off. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her into him, looking down at the brunette, who was in absolute shock. "Even if it's just a taste." With those words, he pressed his lips to hers.

* * *

_"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,_  
_And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind." ― William Shakespeare_


	5. Chapter 5

_"This life is but a brief tenure, one of many perspectives a spirit must experience in the quest for eternity." ― Brian Rathbone_

* * *

The kiss was sweet and chaste, though it lingering bitter feeling of passion that they couldn't explore further. It was too dangerous for them to do it, too unacceptable by society's standards. A mere servant and the future Pharaoh of Egypt, together? The people couldn't wrap their heads around the mere notion of the two of them being just friends. Imagine how badly they would have reacted if they had seen that kiss.

Ahkmenrah pulled away first, resting his forehead against the brunette's before him, his eyes closed. Cena's eyes were closed as well, cheeks flushed slightly. He had just kissed her. Ahkmenrah, the future Pharaoh of Egypt. This handsome man with more women than he knew what to do with chasing after him. She'd never admit how long she'd been waiting for him to do that, and she'd never admit how fast her heart beat when his soft, velvety lips were capturing her own in a kiss.

"Why?"

The question that she uttered surprised Ahkmenrah. He opened his eyes and backed off a bit, watching as Cena's eyes fluttered open. He paused, articulating his next words carefully. "Because I have feelings for you, Cena. Feelings that I want to explore. Feelings that I've had for quite some time now, feelings that I'm sure that you return for me."

"Of course I have feelings for you." She replied, sounding astonished, as if she couldn't believe that he hadn't known since the beginning. "You'd have to be daft not to realize that. But we can't explore these feelings, Ahkmenrah. We just can't."

"And why not?" He demanded, his brow furrowed.

"Why not?" Cena repeated in disbelief. "Why not? Because it's forbidden, Ahkmenrah. That's why we can't explore them."

"You're a servant. So what? I can simply free you when I become Pharaoh, and then it will be acceptable." He replied, almost desperately, his hands finding hers, clasping them between his."

"It's not that simple, Ahkmenrah." She answered dejectedly, looking away from him, avoiding his gaze.

His eyes implored her to look back at him, so he could see the emotions in her eyes. "Why? Why isn't it that simple, Cena?"

Her breath caught and she looked up, her brown eyes glistening with tears. It unnerved Ahkmenrah to see her so vulnerable. Cena, who had always been so strong, unmoving like the pyramids that surrounded them. She was currently crumbling before him, and as much as it shocked him, it made him feel warm. She was so comfortable around him that she was allowing him to see her weak. "You're currently at war with Nubia." She paused, the tears threatening to spill. "A-And... I'm the daughter of the Nubian King."

His eyes widened, and he froze. That was why she said that it could never happen. So long as she was the Nubian princess, rightful heir to the throne, they could never be together. If anyone found out that she was the princess of Nubia, they would kill her on the spot.

"Do you hate me?" Cena questioned, her voice shaking. When Ahkmenrah looked back at her, tears slid down her tanned cheeks at a rapid pace. He shook his head, wiping the tears away with his thumbs.

"I don't hate you. You can't help your heritage, Cena." He replied. "I have no grudge against Nubia. It's our fathers who hold grudges against each other." This seemed to calm her down, because she gave him a small smile. "Cena, we can fix this. We just... We just need to wait until I'm Pharaoh. Then I can call off the war in Nubia, you can assume your rightful place as Queen, and then we can unite Nubia and Egypt." His eyes glittered with newfound hope, as did hers. He grinned, cupping her face in his hands. "We just need to wait. We can fix this, Cena. I promise."

"And then we can be together." She continued, newfound hope in her heart. "A-And then no one can stop us. No one can tell us that it's not right." She slowly reached up, hands cupping his face. She didn't realize that she was crying until she felt a tear slide down her cheek. "We can be together, and no one can say otherwise."

Ahkmenrah smiled, the corners of his blue eyes crinkling, his eyes almost twinkling in delight. He lowered his lips to hers, pressing his lips to hers sweetly. Soon the sweetness turned into passion, skin met skin, and soon, they were one.

If only they knew about what was to come.

* * *

_"I recognized you instantly. All of our lives flashed through my mind in a split second. I felt a pull so strongly towards you that I almost couldn't stop it." ― J. Sterling_


	6. Chapter 6

"_The very essence of romance is uncertainty." ― Oscar Wilde_

* * *

A giggling servant girl scurried across the room to her friend, a few articles of clothing in her hands. The two of them were currently doing the wash, which was something most of us servant girls ended up doing, myself included. She grinned, whispering something to her friend, who's eyes widened considerably. "No way! I never expected that. It'll be extravagant, for sure." Her friend nodded then moved to tell someone else, who had a similar reaction.

My interest perked, despite the fact that I normally didn't care for useless gossip. What was so important that everyone was getting so excited about it? I stood up, taking a few of the articles of clothing with me to hang them up, while listening in as she spoke to another girl.

"... And so Prince Ahkmenrah is betrothed to marry Pharaoh Amenhotep's advisor's daughter." She finished. "She's beautiful, really! She's got the loveliest hair I've ever seen."

I felt my heart shatter into a million pieces. He was to marry another woman? I tuned the women back in as I heard them talk about her once more.

"Her name's Ketet." The servant girl continued. "She's very sweet and she's so elegant and ladylike. I'm sure that she'll make a great Queen for Prince Ahkmenrah, don't you think so?"

I hurriedly finished my work before I sped out of there, my heart in my stomach and tears stinging my eyes. He was going to be married. How were we supposed to change things when he was finally Pharaoh? How were we supposed to live happily together, without the judgement of others?

Wiping the tears from my eyes, I walked towards the gardens, somewhere I knew he wouldn't be. I couldn't face him. No, not now. Not when I felt like this, so utterly torn apart and broken because of this one man. This man who had the ability to make me feel like I was flying one moment, then make me feel like I was face first in dirt the next.

* * *

"Betrothed?"

Ahkemnrah stared at his father in disbelief, his blue eyes widened. Kahmunrah stood a little ways away, looking as if he was enjoying the show a bit too much. Amenhotep looked at his son, nodding his head. "You should be happy, Ahkmenrah. You'll have a suitable wife for when you take over as Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt."

"But why must I be betrothed?" He continued, looking torn and heartbroken, though he had been trying his best to hide how he was feeling. "Why can't I be trusted to find a suitable wife of my own?"

"Do you have another woman that I don't know about then?" Amenhotep questioned. Ahkmenrah was silenced, and Amenhotep continued. "Then you're to be married to Ketet, and I won't have any more on this matter. I'm doing this for you, son. For the sake of your happiness, and for the sake of this country that will soon enough be yours. As Pharaoh, you must make sacrifices for your people, Ahkmenrah. You'll learn this soon enough."

Ahkmenrah turned and left the throne room, far beyond angry, and far beyond heartbroken. Cena was all he was thinking about. How would be marry her now? The wedding was in a few days. There was no time for an alternate solution, there was no time to talk his father out of the decision, and there was no time for him to right his wrongs.

There was only time for him to explain. Turning, he walked off, determined to find her.

* * *

"Cena!"

Said female stopped the work she was doing on the garden, turning to face Ahkmenrah. "What are you doing out here? You know that you can't be seen with me here."

"No one ever comes here and you know it. You're just trying to get rid of me." His face fell when he looked at her red and swollen eyes and at the tear marks on her cheeks. "...Have you been crying?" When she didn't reply and turned back to the garden, Ahkmenrah grabbed her shoulders, turning her to face him. "Cena, what's wrong? Did someone hurt you?"

She couldn't form the words at first, it was far too painful. A broken sound came from her hoarse throat as her eyes became misty once more. "You're betrothed."

The breath left Ahkmenrah in that instant. So she'd heard. "I wanted to be the one to tell you." He said softly, after a small pause. "I... I never wanted this to happen, Cena. You know that I still have feelings for you, and this won't change it-"

"How will this not change it, Ahkmenrah!?" She snapped, rising to her feet. "You're betrothed to your father's advisor's daughter, and you're going to be married in a few days. Sure, you may care about me now, but in a few years when she gives you enough children, you'll forget about me, and I'll wither away to nothing while I watch the two of you, silently wishing that I could be with you because I love you. It's not fair, Ahkmenrah! This changes everything!"

There was a pause, and he looked shocked. This angered her even more. "Well, say something!" She snapped.

Finally, the blue eyed prince spoke up. "You love me."

She blinked, her eyes misty. She narrowed her eyes, brows drawing downward in anger. "S-So? That's not the point!"

"You love me." He repeated, sounding determined.

"Yeah, I get it. I do love you. But that's not the-" She was cut off when he pressed his lips to hers eagerly, arms wrapping around her waist, pulling her closer to him. Her anger melted away immediately and she dropped the tool she was using, allowing it to clatter to the ground as she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing the prince back with all that she had.

Ahkmenrah pulled back, the two of them out of breath. "I love you too." He spoke, his eyes searching hers. "I love you more than you'll ever know."

She looked beyond ecstatic, the corners of her eyes crinkling as she smiled. "I do know, because I love you in the same way."

"We'll fix this." Ahkmenrah promised her. "We can do this."

From a distance, Kahmunrah watched the happy couple, scowling at his younger brother. So he thought that he could have it all, eh? He really thought that he could have the kingdom and his little Nubian servant girl all in one. That wasn't how it was going to happen. No, it was going to happen very differently than this, and he'd see that this love story wasn't going to have a happy ending.

* * *

"_The world is indeed full of peril and in it there are many dark places. But still there is much that is fair. And though in all lands, love is now mingled with grief, it still grows, perhaps, the greater." ― J.R.R. Tolkien_


	7. Chapter 7

_"I do not trust people who don't love themselves and yet tell me, 'I love you.' There is an African saying which is: Be careful when a naked person offers you a shirt." _  
_― Maya Angelou_

* * *

She arrived around noon that day, and when Cena saw her, she realized instantly that what people had been saying about the advisor's daughter was true. She was absolutely and undeniably beautiful. For lack of a better word, she looked perfect, and beside her, Cena felt like the ugly duckling.

Cena watched as Ketet greeted Ahkmenrah, watched as she was recieved with cheers from the crowd, watched as Ahkmenrah took her hand and as the people cheered. She watched as he kissed her so gently on the cheek, but she was filled with a feeling of relief when she saw how formal he looked. He looked as if he was kissing a distant relative on the cheek, someone he knew that he sohuld be friendly with in the eyes of his relatives, but on the inside, all he wanted to do was get as far away as possible.

Throughout the ceremony, she would catch his eye, or he would catch hers. Most of the time, one of them broke the stare for fear that someone would catch on and then they'd be exposed. But there was those rare times that neither of them could look away. The both of them would gaze at each other, blue-green locked on brown.

Ketet retreated to her room early, saying that she was tired from her journey. She didn't live close to the palace. No, she and her mother lived farther away, in an extravagant home that was beautiful, yes, but paled in comparison to the palace that Ahkmenrah lived in.

It was then that she came to his room, as she usually did. She laid out his night clothes and opened the curtains, knowing that was how he liked it. He loved feeling the breeze filter in through the window, a gentle caress on a humid night like this, when Egypt's temperature dropped.

Tonight, it was different. He entered earlier than usual, a different look in his eyes than he usually had. It was determined, passionate, set on something that he was going to do. She knew that look. It wasn't a look that she saw very often, but she knew it. It was the look in his eyes that he had when he first kissed her. She recognized it, and it almost brought color to her cheeks. Almost.

"I'll leave you now." She spoke up, feeling strangely comfortable under his gaze, although she knew that if it were anyone else looking at her in that way, she'd be extremely uncomfortable. "Goodnight." She bid him, going to walk past him.

"Not tonight." The tone in his voice was different, husky, filled with desire that sent pleasant shivers down her spine. She turned to face him, only to have him press his lips to hers, his arms winding around her waist as if they were made to fit there. She sighed blissfully, her arms going around his neck. The kisses were sweet and gentle at first, but soon turned rough and passionate. Her hands moved to his hair, gripping the tendrils as she kissed him. His fingers dug into her sides, almost hard enough to leave imprints. Still, it wasn't enough. She wanted more. She _needed _more.

"Ahk." She sighed, breaking apart for only a moment. He captured her lips again and she jumped, winding her legs around his waist as he caught her. He moved them to the bed, the two of them easily becoming lost in the feathered sheets in a fit of passion.

"I love you." He muttered, his eyes half-lidded, speaking nothing but desire and overwhelming attraction.

Cena gazed up at him in a similar manner, a sigh leaving her swollen, parted lips. "I love you too." She agreed. "Until my last breath and more, Ahkmenrah, I promise that I'm yours."

"That's a long time to promise, isn't it?" He asked, though the corners of his mouth were teasing with the hint of a smile, showing that he was teasing her.

Cena smiled up at him in response, nodding her head. "It is." She agreed, moving to press a kiss to the corner of his mouth. "But it doesn't seem too bad when I'm with you."

Ahkmenrah grinned like a fool in response. "Then I promise the same to you." He decided in an air of finality, sealing it with a nod of his head. "I promise that I'll never love another, so long as there's still life left in me." He paused, looking fondly at the brunette down at him, who was currently looking up at him through thick lashes. "I don't think that I ever could." He added softly.

"Isn't that touching?"

She gasped, sitting up, clutching the sheets to her chest. Luckily Ahkmenrah was still wearing his pants and so he sat up, not needed the sheet that Cena was currently clutching against her like it was her life line. Kahmenrah stepped off of the balcony, and suddenly Ahkmenrah cursed himself for constantly needed those curtains open.

"What do you want, Kahmenrah?" Ahkemnrah demanded, trying to keep control of the situation, though he knew that he was losing the reigns faster than he'd ever imagined he would.

"I don't believe that you're in a position to be giving me that attitude, brother, when you're sleeping with your servant and professing your love to her with your bride-to-be right down the hall." Kahmenrah replied, smirking. He was enjoying himself far more than he ever thought possible. "I'm just here to tell you that I now have proof of your little affair. I won't tell father though, under one condition."

"Name it." Ahkmenrah replied, almost desperately.

"You give me the throne, and we can pretend that none of this ever happened." Kahmenrah replied, playing with a candle holder that sat on his brother's dresser. "I'll forget all of this, you can keep your little servant girl, and all will be well. However, if you don't..." He paused, smirking. "I'll tell father that she's the Nubian princess and she'll be executed on the spot."

* * *

_"Anyone who falls in love is searching for the missing pieces of themselves. So anyone who's in love gets sad when they think of their lover. It's like stepping back inside a room you have fond memories of, one you haven't seen in a long time." _  
_― Haruki Murakami_

* * *

**AN**:

MismatchedSocksandKnickers: I can't reveal anything quite yet, but don't worry, fate has it's way of working things out in the end~ Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. 3


	8. Chapter 8

_"To lose balance sometimes for love is part of living a balanced_  
_life." ― Elizabeth Gilbert_

* * *

If it hadn't been for the fact that Cena reached over and clutched his hand, Ahkmenrah would have teared up. He felt his eyes stinging, the tell tale sign of tears brewing, but when he felt her clutching on his hand as if it were the only thing anchoring her to the Earth, he knew that he had to keep it together. He couldn't fall apart; Cena needed him now. He was a part of this, he had gotten her into this and put her in danger, and he'd be damned if she got hurt because of him.

"Just think about it, _little _brother." Kahmunrah sneered at him before he left the room through the door, the door slamming behind him.

It seemed that with Kahmunrah, all notion of talking had left as well. Ahkmenrah was afraid to look over at Cena, to see her reaction. He was afraid of her dying. No, not even afraid. Afraid couldn't cover how he was feeling at the moment. He felt completely terrified for her. He didn't want her to die, and the mere notion of it broke his heart into pieces. But as selfish as it was, he didn't want her to leave him, either. He couldn't imagine having to spend his days with anyone but her.

Cena held Ahkmenrah's hand so tight that she was surprised that it didn't break. Her eyes were growing misty as the reality of what was happening finally hit her. If she stayed with Ahkemnrah, he would lose the throne and all of Egypt would be put into jeoprady because of Kahmunrah. She knew that with a leader like Kahmunrah, Egypt would fall apart in an instant. But if he kept the throne, she would die. Surprisingly enough, the notion of dying didn't instill as much fear into her heart as leaving Ahkmenrah did.

The sound of Cena crying brought Ahkmenrah back to Earth. He looked over at the brunette beside him, only to see tears gliding down her face rapidly, whimpers escaping her lips as she wiped furiously at her eyes and face. He pulled her into his arms and she collapsed into him, sobbing into his chest. He held her there, his arms wrapped tightly around her, kissing the top of her head.

"We'll fix this." He vowed to her, whispering into her ear, though he knew that it was doubtful that anything good would come of this. He couldn't abandon his country, but Cena was his world. "I'll never leave you, and I'll never allow you to die."

"You can't give up the throne." Cena sat up immediately, her eyes red and puffy from the tears she just shed. Her eyes glistened, showing that more tears begged to be released, but she kept them at bay, knowing that they had to talk about this, but also knowing that there was ultimately only one choice. "You can't leave your country to Kahmunrah."

"But I can't let them kill you." He argued, searching her chocolate brown eyes desperately, trying to make her understand. "I can't let them take you from me. I'd survive a thousand years in a country led by Kahmunrah, no matter how horrible it was, if only I could stay by you for one of those days."

"You know as well as I do that it can't be done, Ahkmenrah." Cena whispered, a single tears falling and sliding down her cheek.

"Then offer some sort of alternative." Ahkmenrah begged her, pleading, his hands cupping her face. "Please, Cena. _Please_."

He was begging her, his gaze so imploring and longing, so full of love for her and only her that she had to comply, if only to make him happy. She nodded her head, looking down for a moment before she looked back up, putting a hand over one of the ones that were on her cheek. "Alright." She whispered. "Alright. I'll... I'll leave for Nubia in the morning. I'll leave so early that no one will see me. I'll take some supplies with me. I'll wait until you're Pharaoh, and then I'll contact you."

A newfound hope glimmered in Ahkmenrah's heart and soul, and he nodded his head in affirmation of her plan. "It could work." He said, pulling her into his arms once more. "I love you." He whispered against her temple, his voice soft and filled with emotion. It stirred something in the pit of her stomach and made her heart feel weak.

"I love you, too." She responded, her voice equally as soft as his.

As she laid on his chest, she waited for him to fall asleep. Soon she heard the rhythmeric patterns of his breathing, his heart beating slower in her ear. She couldn't sleep, no matter how hard she tried, because she knew that it would never work, that it wouldn't work out in the end. No matter what, they were two different people who came from two different worlds. A pair of star-crossed lovers, no matter how cliche it seemed.

Cena closed her eyes, focusing on enjoying her time with him, although she knew that the time she had was dwinlinding to less and less by each passing moment.

* * *

When he opened his eyes, she was gone. He knew that it was coming, but it still hurt not to see her all the same. He drew his own bath, set out his own clothes, made his own bed. When he walked to the dining room, he was alone. When he sat at the table, pretending to be absorbed in the conversations of others, he was alone.

She wasn't there, and yet she was everywhere. She was in his thoughts, in his heart, in his soul. It was as if she'd stuck a hot branding iron on his heart, leaving an imprint forever, yet when he was with her, she was the antidote for the pain. When she was away, the pain was at full force, reminding him that he was hers, as she was his.

Suddenly, Ahkmenrah paused, realizing something. Cena couldn't have left in the morning; there was no way that she could have gotten past the guards. Come to think of it, he saw her clothes in the morning, too.

She hadn't left. But why had she lied to him? And, more importantly, where was she hiding?

* * *

_"Romance is the glamour which turns the dust of everyday life into a golden haze. " ― Elinor Glyn**  
**_

* * *

**A/N**: There's one more chapter in this story, and then I'll get to working on a sequel, which will be out _very_ very soon! So please stay tuned for that!

_Nymartian_: Thanks so much! I'm so glad that you're enjoying it. :) I tried to make it romantic as possible, so I'm glad that you think it's romantic. Thank you so much for reviewing.


	9. Chapter 9

_"The real lover is the man who can thrill you by kissing your forehead or smiling into your eyes or just staring into space." _  
_― Marilyn Monroe_

* * *

She'd never fallen asleep that night, although he was currently laying under her, eyes closed and chest rising and falling, signaling that he was sleeping peacefully. The guilt was eating her up too much inside, the fear too large in her heart. Yet when the sun began to peek over the horizon, she was ready. She slid out of the bed, pulling on a fresh change of clothes. Once she did, she peered over at Ahkmenrah, watching the rise and fall of his chest, his lashes against his cheeks. She was filled with emotion then, wishing that she could stay with him, that they could be anywhere else than here. But it wasn't like that. It couldn't ever be like that.

Cena leaned over him, pressing her lips softly to his, trying not to wake him. His lips were soft, she realized, softer than they'd ever been before. But maybe that was because she knew that was going to happen, that she had to go through with this wretched plan to make sure that things turned out alright in the end. It took all of her might for her to pull away and she did so slowly, tears threatening to spill. She left the room then, knowing that if she stayed any longer, she wouldn't be able to leave him.

Her first stop was the study. When she stepped in, she was reminded of the time she and Ahkmenrah spent in there. The times when she watched him write, doing things that he had to do as the Pharaoh's son. She kept him company, although he never admitted that it was the reason that he asked her to be there. He didn't have to, though. She knew without him telling her. She remembered when they laughed together as he tickled her. Gods, it was the first time that she'd been truly happy since her mother died, and since she'd been taken prisoner by his guards. Snapping out of her daze, Cena grabbed parchment and ink then left quickly, knowing that she had no time to spare. She slid into the kitchens, past the food and into the very back corner where all of the precious and valuable things were kept. She broke open the cabinet and searched quickly, finding what she needed; poison.

Finding the plate that she needed was easy; Kahmenrah's meal was made in advance and always had to have some extravagant display that was in some way different than everyone else's. Cena would have rolled her eyes and snorted if it hadn't been for the present situation. She paused, knowing that she was about to do something that Ahkmenrah may not forgive her for when he found out, but she knew that it had to be done to ensure his safety. Taking a deep breath, she poured out half of the poison, mixing it in with his meal. Satisfied, she stood back, before she heard voices. She ran out immediately, running as far as her legs would carry her down the halls, knowing that she had to hurry in order to do what she wanted to do without anyone discovering her before it could be done.

The garden was easy to find, and thankfully, it was very close to the kitchens. She didn't have very much time to spare; it was obvious. She knew that people were beginning to stir. She grabbed the paper, scribbling out what she needed to say to him on it, before she folded it and put in into the envelope, writing his name out on the front. Tears blurred her vision, but she continued on, knowing that she had gone too far to stop now. Setting the envelope down gently on the floor beside her, she looked towards the bottle, half empty, and yet still enough to kill more people than just her.

Cena paused, looking down at the bottle. "How awfully melodramatic." She mumbled to herself, her eyes closing as a single tear slid down her cheek. "I love you." She muttered, and after that, there was no hesitation. She chugged the bottle down easily, setting it down afterwards, feeling it already working in her system. She cried out, holding her stomach, pain in her entire body. And then she felt nothing, absolutely nothing. It was a relief from the pain, but in a way, it was far more terrifying than the pain was. It meant that there was nothing else to feel, that she was going to die. She fell to the ground, her vision blurring, her system shutting down slowly. Was this how it felt to die?

She'd cheated death once, and she knew that she couldn't do it another time. But it was okay, because she knew that she was doing it for the one that she loved most. Finally, her eyes closed, and she allowed herself to drift off into nothingness, his blue eyes, contagious smile, and laughter on her mind.

* * *

"Father." Ahkmenrah spoke up, walking into the throne room. His father was currently talking to Ketet's father, but Ahkmenrah paid no mind to that. "Have you seen Cena? I have something I need her to do for me and I haven't got a clue as to where she is."

"Have you checked the gardens? I know that she's usually working there." His father suggested, still having no idea about the little affair that his son had taken part in.

Ahkmenrah nearly slapped himself. How could he have been so stupid? "Thank you, father." He said before he left casually, not wanting to draw attention to himself. Once he was out of sight, however, he bolted to the garden, a feeling of dread settling in his stomach. He didn't know why he was so scared, but something told him that there was something amiss.

"Cena?" Ahkmenrah called out as he entered the garden. "Cena?" He didn't see her anywhere. Just where was she hiding? "Cena?" Suddenly, he spotted someone on the ground. By the dark brown hair and figure, he knew that it was her. But there was something wrong. Why was she just laying there? "Cena!" He shouted, running full speed towards her. He dropped to his knees beside her, turning her over.

His heart sank into his stomach. She was cold. "Cena!" He shouted again, desperately. "Cena, wake up!" He begged and begged, feeling tears sting his eyes. He looked around her, only to see a bottle laying at her side. Poison.

"Gods, no!" He cried out, cupping her face in his hands. "Cena, wake up, wake up! Cena, please!" He saw the tears on her face, and realized that he was crying. "Cena." He muttered, sobbing as he held her lifeless body in his arms, clutching her tightly. What had he done to deserve this treatment? Why did she have to die like this? Why, why when she was the only woman that he'd ever loved in his life? She was taken from him unjustly, too soon before her time. It was the cause of the war. That damn, damn war. If there had just not been any war at all, he could have met her through different circumstances. Perhaps maybe at one of the expensive banquets that his father always held. He could see it now; him seeing her from across the room, beauty above all other women in the room. He'd walk up to her, take her hand in his and kiss it, but she'd take it away, acting appalled by his behavior, but secretly pleased that he'd chose her. Cena would play hard to get. That was just how she was.

Gods, if it were only so.

He spotted a letter on the ground and so he picked it up, not pulling Cena off of his lap just yet. She laid there, her body cold, but he didn't have the heart to remove her just yet. '_Ahkmenrah_' it read on the front, and he recognized it as her handwriting. Elegant and neat, yet with a certain edge to it, just like her. He opened the envelope, pulling out the paper inside.

'_Dearest Ahkmenrah,_

_There aren't enough words to express how sorry I am for leaving you like this, but I did it for the good of Egypt, and for your own good. I love you, Ahkmenrah, but there are things that must be done, and we weren't meant to be together in this lifetime. _

_I made the decision for you, because I knew that you weren't going to make the right one. I knew that you were going to choose to give up the throne, Ahkmenrah. I could see it in your eyes. You seem to forget that I know you well. I had to do something, and since you wouldn't listen to words, I chose actions. It was a rash decision, but I stand by it. I know that it was right._

_Kahmunrah has been poisoned as well. I hope that you can forgive me for it, but there is a reason. He's been planning your assassination, Ahkmenrah. He was the one who sent the assassin the day that I stepped in to save you. I couldn't have him killing you, not when I wasn't around to protect you and warn you. I saved you, but in a way that I can't give you back something for taking away someone. In a way, taking my own life is a way of repenting for poisoning Kahmunrah._

_Please be happy and live your life. If you won't do it for yourself, do it for me._

_Love, _

_Cena'_

Looking down at her, he realized that she didn't look dead. Death hadn't taken away any of the beauty that he'd seen the moment she arrived in Egypt. She was still beautiful, alarmingly so, appearing as if she was in a peaceful sleep rather than lying dead in his arms. With a deep breath, he pocketed the letter and stood, carrying her into his brother's room first. Kahmenrah's room was only down the hall from the gardens, where he had requested to be. It was most likely how he'd found out about them in the first place.

True to the letter, Kahmenrah laid in his bed, his food knocked over before him. She'd put the poison in his food, he realized. Part of him missed his brother, the brother he used to spend time with as a child, the brother he used to run away from the tutors with and spend countless hours talking to. But part of him knew that his brother was going to kill him if he hadn't been killed. It a way, it tore him apart, but it also numbed him to the point where he barely felt the stabbing pain in his heart.

He swung around and marched to his father's throne room, Cena still in his arms. Most looked at him, shocked, but he found that he didn't care anymore. If they were going to banish him, fine. If they were going to kill him, fine. He was as good as dead now anyway.

He came before his father, who looked at him, shocked. "What is the meaning of this, Ahkmenrah?"

"Cena is dead." He spat, surprising his father with the venom in his voice. "She killed herself with poison."

"Then we will dispose of her body." His father replied dismissively, but Ahkmenrah continued.

"Her real murderer wasn't herself, though. It was you. It was Kahmunrah. It was anyone that ever stood against her. Against _us_." He took in a deep breath. "Cena is the only daughter of the Nubian king. She is the princess of Nubia. She was captured by our soldiers and brought here as a servant. When I learned, I was already in love with her, but it wouldn't have changed anything. The war with Nubia has done nothing but take the lives of our brothers." He spoke louder. "We let the judgement of others consume us, the greed of wanting more land overtake us. We let it cloud our thoughts and judgement, we let it keep us from doing what is right. Cena should not have died in vain." He paused. "I will be taking the throne, father, as your health is failing. And I will right the wrongs that have been done. My own brother has tried to murder me and is now lying dead. My only love is lying dead in my arms. And soon, due to your failing health, you'll be dead. I won't let my country be ripped away from me as well."

His father nodded his head, standing from the throne and crossing the room to his son. "You've finally grown enough for the crown." He spoke softly, reaching up and taking it off of his head. He set it on his son's head, nodding once. "The ceremony will take place tomorrow. As for Cena..." He paused, looking down at the brunette. "A proper buriel will take place today."

* * *

He stood on the balcony before his people, as the crown was placed on his head once more, announcing him as the official Pharaoh. Suddenly, the crowd burst into applause. Many servants stood, clapping for their new ruler. Smiles were on their faces, which surprised Ahkmenrah. As he looked down at everyone, clapping and congradulating him, he felt as if something was missing. He realized that it was the feeling of Cena's hand in his. But he pushed the feeling out of his mind, looking at the people around him, _his _people, realizing that Cena was right. He had to be strong, because these people needed him to be strong.

"I am Ahkmenrah," He spoke, loudly, with authority in his voice. "Fourth king of the four kings and ruler of the land of my fathers. And I am your Pharaoh!"

The room burst into a defeaning applause then, and he couldn't hear himself think over it. But it brought a smile to his face. He'd rule them just as Cena told him to. It was the least he could do for someone who'd done so much for him.

* * *

_"Love never dies a natural death. It dies because we don't know how to replenish its source. It dies of blindness and errors and betrayals. It dies of illness and wounds; it dies of weariness, of witherings, of tarnishings." _  
_― Anaïs Nin_

* * *

**A/N**: Thank you guys for reading this story! I really appreciate all of the reviews I got, (from MismatchedSocksandKnickers, Nymartian, and spatterson.) I also very much appreciate each follow, favorite, and view I got!

The sequel will be out soon, so don't worry, this isn't the end for Cena and Ahkmenrah just yet.


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